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Slovakia on Monday reaffirmed its "constructive approach" towards India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Slovakia, where the Prime Minister and his Slovak counterpart, Robert Fico, held discussions on the importance of preserving and strengthening the global non-proliferation framework.
According to a Joint Statement released following their meeting here, Slovakia reiterated its support for India's aspirations to join the NSG, a 48-member grouping that regulates global nuclear commerce. "The two leaders also discussed the importance of upholding the global nonproliferation architecture. Slovakia reaffirmed its constructive approach to India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group," the statement said. The NSG is an association of countries involved in nuclear trade that aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons by regulating the export of nuclear materials, equipment and related technologies through a set of agreed guidelines followed by its participating governments. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed the urgent need to expand the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in both permanent and non-permanent categories to make it more representative, inclusive and effective. In this context, India appreciated Slovakia's continued support for New Delhi's permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UNSC. "The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, and to a rules-based international order while supporting comprehensive reforms of multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, particularly the United Nations Security Council, to make them more representative, inclusive, effective and reflective of contemporary geopolitical realities. The leaders stressed the urgent need to expand the UN Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories. In this context, India appreciated Slovakia's continued support for India's permanent membership in a reformed and expanded UN Security Council," the statement read. According to the joint statement, the two sides also agreed to continue consultations and coordination on their respective candidacies in international organisations and to cooperate closely in global forums, including the United Nations. Beyond strategic issues, India and Slovakia agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation to achieve net-zero emissions, focusing on the exchange of technologies to support the green energy transition and promote clean, reliable and resilient energy systems. The two sides also decided to deepen cooperation in the energy sector to enhance energy security, sustainability and resilience through the diversification of energy sources, including nuclear energy and geothermal power. "The leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the energy sector with a view to promoting energy security, sustainability and resilience through diversification of energy sources, including nuclear energy and geothermal power," the statement read. The leaders expressed their intent to advance collaboration through joint research initiatives, exchange of expertise and capacity-building programmes in areas of mutual interest, further expanding the scope of the India-Slovakia partnership. This comes as part of PM Modi's state visit to Slovakia, the first by an Indian Prime Minister since the European country's independence in 1993, which saw the two nations elevate their relationship to a Comprehensive Partnership and expand cooperation across several sectors, including defence, technology, trade and innovation. (ANI)
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